A major fire broke out in the luggage-cum-second class coach of the Chennai-Alappuzha Express at Perundurai in Erode district on Thursday early morning, destroying a part of the coach. No passengers were injured in the accident.

The Station Master at the Thottipalayam railway station noticed smoke billowing from the luggage area at the rear of the train when it passed through the station around 4 a.m. He immediately alerted the guard D. Thomas. Engine drivers were asked to stop the train at the Perundurai railway station. Meantime, railway officials alerted fire and rescue services personnel.

By the time the train reached the station, the entire luggage area of the coach was engulfed in flames. Mr. Thomas along with Assistant Sub-Inspector of Railway Protection Force K. Kasilingam helped the passengers at the differently-abled and the ladies compartments to get out of the coach immediately.

The differently-abled section in the coach had only two passengers — Mimoon, a resident of Chennai, and her son J. Maseeb Ali. “We noticed the smoke coming from the luggage area and then flames spreading fast. By the time the train came to a halt, the entire luggage area in the rear of the coach was on fire,” Ms. Mimoon said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Thomas along with the personnel in the station isolated the coach from the train. “We also tried to put out the flames using the fire extinguishers at the guard's room. But we could not control it,” Mr. Thomas told The Hindu.

Before fire fighters from Perundurai fire station arrived at the spot, flames spread to the differently abled compartment. Five fire engines from Perundurai, Erode, Bhavani and Modakurichi were pressed into service. The fire fighters managed to put out the flames after struggling for about an hour. Most of the goods kept at the luggage area at the rear of the coach were destroyed in the fire.

Salem Divisional Railway Manager Sujatha Jayaraj said that the cause of the fire was not yet known. “We have launched a detailed probe into the incident,” she said.

Several trains in the Salem-Coimbatore section were delayed for more than two hours due to the accident.

The railway officials replaced the burnt coach with another one and the train resumed after a delay of four hours.

Why didn't the train stop immediately? The driver should have stopped the train ASAP and people evacuated as a speeding train fans the fire. Perundurai is a fair distance from the place the fire was noticed.The driver and guard should be pulled up for their negligence. What if the fire spread quicker to the disabled or any other compartment for that matter? Whenever there is a fire or any other emergency, the driver or guard should stop the train immediately. Proper training to deal with emergencies should be part of the driver, guard and station staff training, besides a must for them to learn first aid.

from:
Raj

Posted on: Jun 30, 2012 at 05:48 IST

Smoking in the compartment is clearly one of the reasons for such fire accidents. The smokers have very little civic sense and in general, have the bad habit of not extinguishing the buds before disposal.
Traveling Malayalees in trains cannot give up smoking and they persistently do it almost with vengeance. Railways on their part turn a blind and silent spectator. they think their responsibility is over with a name board or printed notice 'NO SMOKING'